Words by Justin Turford
‘In America the dream is to make it out of the ghetto. In Soweto, because there was no leaving the ghetto, the dream was to transform the ghetto. ‘ Trevor Noah
Times may be difficult all over the globe right now but wonderful music continues to be released and the debut album ‘Udondolo’ from Soweto’s Urban Village on the excellent French label Nø Førmat!, really is a peach. As we surely know Soweto has seen more than its fair amount of difficulties and the million strong township of Johannesburg is still struck with deep societal problems that stem from equality and the scars of the poisonous Apartheid regime. Born and raised in the end days of Apartheid, the four members of this joyous band jumped into the much vaunted house and dance music scene that heralded the new South Africa, the taxi promoted and cassette swapping culture that lives on today with DJ producer superstars like Black Coffee bringing that uniquely soulful SA house sound to clubs and festivals around the world (stalled since 2019 for obvious reasons). There has always been a marked feeling of positivity in Black South African music from the elders such as Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela and Abdullah Ibrahim to the mbaqanga vocal groups like Ladysmith Black Mambazo through to Lucky Dube and more contemporary artists like Soweto neighbours BCUC and Spoek Mathambo. Paired with the spirit-raising music, however, came a serious political or grounding message about the day-to-day toil and efforts that all South African communities of colour went through in such challenging circumstances.
What was particularly unique about Soweto was that it was a created space, a zonal prison of sorts. A township of immigrants, shipped into the area to work the regime’s vast gold mines in Egoli (the Zulu word for Johannesburg). This brought a diverse group of people with different languages and cultural values into one place and despite the unimaginable stresses forced on the people from their white ‘masters’, wonderful art was created under this duress.
This crossroads of artistic multiplicity is where Urban Village reside. Turned onto more traditional forms of music through encounters with older Zulu maskandi players , guitarist Ntsane Lerato Lichaba met with singer/flautist Tubatsi Mpho Moloi (recently featured on the recent Coldcut-led Keleketla! project) and formed the band, a space of their own, where they could express themselves through the exploration of the many musical strands in their environment.
‘Udondolo’ (translated as Walking Stick) is an album that fittingly moves around within the shared heritage of the Soweto ‘village’. The rural inhabitants who moved to the townships all brought their different indigenous folk traditions and art forms into this metropolitan environment and in combination with the easy exposure to the greater world of music, Urban Village’s local-global sound sits. Zulu Rock, Marabi, swinging-jazzy blues, even Alt-Folk and more meld beautifully, a live sound polished just enough, a confident, optimistic ode to life itself.
‘Izivunguvungu’ (above) is a gorgeous song inspired by the Zulu traditional music genre Isicathamiya. Male Zulu migrant workers would perform together at the hostels that they would be forced to live in away from their families and this harmony of voices would be their blues, the yearning for home. The gentlly evocative ‘Ubaba’ touches on the same subject, looking back at the forefathers and mothers who endured this life. Watch this moving video directed by collaborator Justice Mukheli that reveals a little about their lives.
‘Dindi’ is just bursting with positivity, the call-and-answer of the voices beseeching black pride “Love the colour of your skin, Be pleased and be proud” The superb rhythm section of bassist Simangaliso Dlamini and drummer Xolani Mtshali holding down a low slung groove, while Lerato’s chiming guitar and what sounds like subtle whispers of electronic bleeps leave the stage clear for the grand exhortations of the voices. Even those with only a passing knowledge of Pan African music would surely recognise this as South African music such is its joyous familiarity.
A particular favourite is ‘Ubusuku’, a deeply funky song about the Soweto student uprising on June 16th, 1976. This is where you can really hear the band’s knowledge of more contemporary musical forms and French producer Frédéric Soulard brings significant strength and roundedness to their sound (an impressive job throughout to be fair).
‘Sakhisizwe’ is a potent and raw call for unity partly sang in English (the title translates as ‘Build A Nation’) - an anthem amongst an album of hopeful anthems.
I could go on and on but I’ll leave it with an emotional live recording of ‘Madume’ which really captures the bands charisma and vitality. Madume, which in the Sotho language means ‘Greetings’, a way of showing respect and honour to fellow citizens, reveals the message that all four members of the band believe in - ‘Ubuntu’ (Common Humanity).
‘Udondolo’ is a truly lovely record and a much needed vaccine of positive energy in what can seem overwhelming times.
“There is no life without a village” — Urban Village
Released on Jan 22nd 2021 on Nø Førmat!
BUY HERE! https://urbanvillagesoweto.bandcamp.com/